


The Elements

by WolfieSharBear



Category: Black Panther (2018), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 11:01:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22577185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WolfieSharBear/pseuds/WolfieSharBear
Summary: Steve Rogers’ soulmate is a force to be reckoned with. As a new Inhuman, Levana struggles with finding a balance with her powers. Following the events of Civil War, Levana and Steve learn to work as a team not only as a couple but with the broken family of the Avengers.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

Three months. That’s how long it had been since Levana and Danica had experienced a transformation that changed their lives forever. 

It’s how long Levana, eldest of the identical twins, had felt anything but self loathing, doubt, and fear. It gripped her heart so tightly it was hard to pretend like everything was normal, but she did. She smiled and laughed with her sister and their friends. She wished every day that she could be how she was, carefree and spontaneous, that she hadn’t gotten such destructive powers. While the twins were mirror images, their powers were complete opposites, no where in the same vicinity to each other.

Looking at her twin, Levana saw how her blue green eyes sparkled with laughter and her full lips fought to contain the laughter inside. Her short hair framed her face beautifully and she honestly looked like a cute pixie with her glowing complexion and joy radiating off of her. Her fingers took a lock of her own long, wavy hair as she continued to smile at something that had the others laughing.

It was all different now. Levana had to pretend like everything was fine, that she wasn’t affected by her powers. 

“I promise, Levi, you will enjoy the show!” Shuri tossed a chunk of bread at the older woman, effectively pulling her from her thoughts and to the present moment.

Levana rolled her eyes as she caught the piece of bread and used it to soak up the juice from the curry she had helped Shuri’s mother, Ramonda, prepare for their dinner. “I would much rather go with T’Chaka and T’Challa to Vienna for the Accords signing,” she grumbled as she finished chewing her food.

Said prince looked at her from across the table. “Levana,” the warning was clear in his voice but she only leveled him with a droll look.

T’Chaka raised his hand and waved it dismissively. “She is allowed her feelings and opinions, my son. Being so new to her powers, it is understandable why she disapproves of the Accords. We are not forcing her to sign them, only hoping that she will in time.”

Silence fell over the table and Levana glance up at the king. He had been like an uncle to her and her sister most of their lives. There was a kindness in his eyes, even now on the eve of his and T’Challa’s departure to Vienna.

Ramonda cleared her throat and broke the silent tension. “Danica, tell us about this show you and Shuri are having Levana watch.”

The younger twin smiled and nudged her sister under the table. “It’s about people who can control one of the four elements, and one person called the Avatar that can control all of them,” she smiled first at her twin and then at Ramonda.

As her sister went on about the show, Shuri joining in excitedly, Levana focused on trying to smile and seem like nothing was bothering her; but everything was bothering her. These powers she now has weren’t as glorious and amazing as they made them out to be. No matter how beautiful and wonderful, they are also destructive and chaotic.

Dangerous.

She swallowed thickly as she thought about what had happened in Sokovia to bring about the Accords.

Maybe she should sign them and have a leash put on her before she could actually do harm.

“Levana, would you like to help me with preparing some tea?” T’Challa’s voice broke through her dark thoughts and she looked up to see a calculating look in his eyes. She nodded with a smile that she had to force and stood with him, both of them walking to the kitchen.

The sounds of the Shuri and Danica talking about a cartoon to Ramonda and T’Chaka followed them into the other room.

The two moved perfectly around each other to start boiling water and getting the teapot ready.

Levana remembered a time when she was much younger and had first been brought to Wakanda. It had been right after her birth parents had died, just outside of Wakanda, and the twins, only five at the time, had been brought in by Zuri’s wife. T’Challa had been the only person who could get the twins to open up and feel comfortable.

They were like family, siblings even.

“Okoye will not give me any details about your training, says it is not her place to disclose that information,” he didn’t look at her as she paused in her task of scooping tea leaves from a container to the teapot. “I’ve seen how you’ve changed, Levana, how your eyes no longer shine when you smile. There was a time you would talk to me about everything, little one,” the childhood nickname brought a small smile to her lips.

Tears stung her eyes as she finished scooping the leaves into the pot. “I still do, T’Challa, but this is something I have to work out on my own.” Her hand absently rubbed at her right hip, a motion that drew his attention.

“Why haven’t you gone looking for him? He’s in New York, isn’t he?” He didn’t want to give up on his friend, but he knew her well enough to know when she was going to shut down.

She shook her head, her brows drawing together. “I can’t bring an innocent into this life.”

Pushing away from the counter, T’Challa took a few steps to grab her shoulders and turn her to face him. “A life of peace and luxury?”

Levana scoffed and rolled her eyes as she pushed her forehead into his chest. “I’m enhanced, T’Challa, and not just any enhanced person. I can control the elements, that’s something anyone would love to get their hands on. I can’t put anyone else in danger because of my powers, it’s bad enough that you all insist I stay here,” she fought a smile as she pulled away and looked up at him. “I think the only thing keeping my powers in check is the constant training I’ve undergone with you and Okoye since mama and baba took Danica and me in,” she moved up to kiss him on the cheek before turning to the kettle and removing it from the heat.

A heavy sigh escaped the Wakandan prince. “You are as stubborn and immovable as W’Kabi’s rhinos,” he helped Levana by taking the teapot while she gathered the cups.

“I take that as a compliment, T’Challa,” she grinned, feeling a moment of relief from the dark emotions that gripped her heart.

“Eh, but a compliment it was not,” he teased as they returned to the table.

Levana gave him a mock glare before looking to his father. “King T’Chaka, despite your best efforts, your son is an ill mannered brute and I apologize for any future damage done to his person,” the serious tone of her voice was dismissed with the teasing twinkle in her blue-green eyes.

The King merely sat back as he accepted his tea and shrugged. “If he has not learned some manners by now, it is time someone else should teach him.”

T’Challa gaped at his father as they all erupted in laughter.

The dark emotions gripping Levana’s heart was pushed away for the moment as she laughed and teased her childhood friend. It was always there, always making her doubt and hate herself, but she had to remember that it couldn’t rule her life. She had agreed to stay in Wakanda and work with Shuri and Okoye to understand her powers and learn to control them so that they didn’t control her.

— — —

Horror and grief was a thick blanket over the room as the twins sat with Shuri and Ramonda watching the news of the bombing of the Accords signing. Levana stood behind the couch where Shuri was crying softly in her mother’s arms and Danica sat next to them.

The twins had watched the bombing happen first hand due to Danica’s power of sight. While Levana’s powers were more hands on and destructive, Danica’s powers were more aligned for support, allowing her to see events happening in real time anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, or fortunately in the case of the bombing, she couldn’t hear anything happening, it was only the ability to see what was happening.

They found that her gift of sight could be shared with Levana when they were touching, but it could only be shared with Levana, and Shuri guessed it was because they’re twins.

Watching T’Chaka die in T’Challa’s arms was heartbreaking and absolutely destroyed the twins. As they joined Shuri and Ramonda to watch the news and grieve, a resolve started to grow in Levana,consuming her completely.

Her fingers dug into the couch as the face of James Buchannon Barnes was posted, marking him as the person responsible for the bombing and death of T’Chaka.

— — — 

“Levi, the psychologist has shown up to evaluate James,” Danica broke Levana out of her thoughts.

In the past twelve hours the twins had scoured the internet and multiple leaked S.H.I.E.L.D. documents trying to find a way to prove James Barnes didn’t plant the bomb at the Accords signing. Levana was convinced that he didn’t do it but couldn’t find anything to prove it.

The older twin stood from the table she was sitting at and walked over to where her sister sat on the couch.

They joined hands and Levana was no longer looking at her sister in T’Challa’s personal living room in Wakanda but looking at a man sitting at a table in front of a secure containment cell where James Barnes was locked up.

With no sound to give them an idea of what the psychologist was saying, the twins relied on facial expressions. Danica was getting better at lip reading, but she still struggled with understanding everything.

When the man pulled a little red notebook with a black star on it and James became visibly nervous, Levana cursed and her hand tightened around her sister’s.

“I knew it. It was a trap this entire time to get James right here so this man could bring out the Winter Soldier,” Levana shook her head as they watched the man start to read from the book, slowly walking around the containment unit. Their hearts beat faster as James escaped the chair and started punching the unit, trying to fight the programming.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, and when he escaped the containment unit he just stood there, the two men standing face to face. It was clear that the Winter Soldier had returned.

Levana cursed and pulled her hand from Danica’s, the vision slipping away from her as she stood up from the couch. Danica blinked and her eyes refocused as she pulled away from the scene and looked at her sister who was picking up her phone from the table.

“What are you doing?”

Levana put the cell phone to her ear as she frowned. “I’m going to try and talk some sense into T’Challa. He’s going to kill the wrong man and I can’t let him,” she closed her eyes as she listened to the constant ringing. “Dammit, T’Challa, answer your damn phone!” She hung up and immediately tried again. When he still didn’t answer she set the phone down and rejoined her twin on the couch.

“We need to see what is happening,” she held her hand out for Danica and waited while her twin took her hand.

What they saw next was James, the Winter Soldier, fighting Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, and the CIA agent that had helped Steve and Sam find James. They watched with bated breath as T’Challa joined the fight.

“They can’t let him get away,” Danica breathed, her voice shaking in fear as the Winter Soldier started the helicopter.

Levana felt a chill run down her spine as Steve started running towards the helicopter. “What is he planning on doing, pulling the helicopter down with his bare…” her words cut off, stuck in her mouth as he jumped up to grab the foot rail of the helicopter, his shirt lifting to expose his hip bones and lower abdomen. The starburst shape on his right hip peeking out of the waistband of his pants caused Levana’s heart to lurch and she pulled her hand from Danica’s like she had been burned.

The vision fell away quickly as she stood up, her heart racing as her hand touched her right hip where a mark identical to the one on Steve Rogers was.

Danica’s eyes refocused as she looked up at her sister with a smile. “Levi, Steve, he’s…”

“My soulmate,” she finished, her bottom lip and chin quivering as she felt tears stinging her eyes.

The younger twin shot up, concern replacing the happiness on her face. “Levi, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you happy about finding your soulmate?”

The elemental shook her head and turned away, blinking away the tears in her eyes. Finding one's soulmate was supposed to be a joyful occasion, and on some level she was beyond happy to know who her soulmate is. Unfortunately, she wasn’t completely happy with this knowledge. The self loathing and doubt she felt was warring with the joy she felt. 

If her soulmate had been some random person she might have been fine, she would have been happy with just keeping tabs on the person and keeping them safe. The fates had something else in store for her. Her soulmate is Captain America, a man that stood for freedom and justice, an Avenger. He could handle being her soulmate.

But she didn’t feel like she deserved to be his soulmate. The things she could do with her powers could classify her as a danger to humanity.

“I’m a monster, Danica. I can’t be with him,” she turned on her heels and started walking out of the room.

Danica ran to her sister and grabbed her wrist, pulling the elemental to a stop. “Levana, that’s ridiculous! Why would you say you’re a monster?”

Levana wrenched her arm from Danica’s grip, refusing to meet the seer’s eyes. “You wouldn’t understand, your powers can’t kill people. I can wipe an entire city, hell, an entire country, off the map with my powers. Someone like that doesn’t deserve to be with someone as good as Steve Rogers,” she quickly left the room, not waiting to hear what her sister had to say.

“Levana!” Danica stared after her twin with wide eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Soft footsteps approaching pulled Levana from her thoughts. After nearly 20 hours since leaving Danica, she knew someone would come looking for her. She was honestly surprised it hadn’t happened sooner.

“You and Prince T’Challa love this view,” Okoye grinned down at the other woman. She had quickly grown attached to the girl when she had started training with T’Challa. Now, many years later, Okoye saw Levana as one of her closest friends.

Levana leaned back on her hands and tilted her head back to look up at the warrior. “Okoye, is it foolish of me to be afraid of being with my soulmate if he’s a good man who fights for people who can’t fight for themselves?”

The look on the Wakandan’s face made Levana groan and sit up straight again, bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

“Your powers do not define you, child,” Okoye lowered herself to sit next to her friend. She grinned at the look Levana gave her out of the corner of her eye. “You are younger than me; you are a child.”

Rolling her eyes, Levana set her chin between her knees and looked out at the Wakandan land before them. “I can kill thousands of people with a thought and a flick of my wrist. I don’t deserve someone as good and pure as…” she stopped, biting her lip.

Okoye shook her head and sighed. “As I said, your powers do not define you. You are in control of your powers, not the other way around. These past two months have proved you can control the destructive nature of your powers. Besides, do you think I would allow you to be around Prince T’Challa if I thought you would kill him?” She looked at the younger woman with an arched brow.

This brought a small smile to Levana’s lips. “I suppose not,” she mumbled, her eyes returning to the scenery before them. It didn’t make her feel any better. Control or not, she had the potential to destroy so many lives. If the knowledge of what she could do became public and the wrong people got a hold of the people she loved, they could use her to do their bidding.

That terrified her more than anything. She would do  _ anything _ to protect the people she loved.

“What brought you here to find me?” Levana slowly started to stand up, knowing they should probably be heading back to the palace.

As she brushed the dirt from her pants, Levana’s soulmark suddenly grew warmer, telling her that her soulmate was close. She brought her hand up to cover it, a reflex more than anything.

“The Prince returns, and he’s bringing guests. Your sister and Shuri suggested you help to greet them.”

Levana arched a delicate brow at the woman. “They want me around for defensive purposes, don’t they?” It was marginally difficult to keep her voice from shaking, to keep her nerves at bay, but pretending she didn’t hate herself for months had taught her a lot.

Okoye glanced at her from the corner of her eye. “I would be lying if I said that wasn’t the initial reason, though your sister was adamant it was just to introduce them to other ‘outsiders’ to help them feel welcome. Ridiculous, you two might not have been born here, but you are as much Wakandans as myself.”

Levana rolled her eyes, ignoring her racing heart and focusing on keeping her breaths even as they walked to the palace at a leisurely pace. She still wasn’t sure if she was terrified or overjoyed to be meeting Steve Rogers.

— — — 

The funny thing about soulmarks is that even though they get pleasantly warmer when in close proximity to each other, you wouldn’t know who your soulmate is until you saw their mark.

So it didn’t come as a surprise when Steve didn’t dote on Levana the moment he met her. Though, she found it difficult to act even remotely neutral when looking at him.

When she walked into the room with Okoye, T’Challa met Levana’s eyes and she immediately saw the grief deep in the brown depths. She walked right to him, using all of her willpower not to look at Steve as she walked by him and James. The two joined hands and he leaned down to press his forehead to hers.

Closing her eyes, Levana squeezed his hands. “I am so sorry, T’Challa. Your father was a great man and he was so good to me and Dani. If you need anything, just tell me.”

“Thank you,” he pulled away and she opened her eyes to look up at him with a small smile. They let go of each other and she turned to the two men out of their time. “Levana, this is Steve Rogers and James Barnes, they’ll be staying in Wakanda for a little while,” T’Challa introduced.

“Nice to see you figured out Barnes was innocent all along. But let me guess, you found out because the real culprit spilled his guts while you were lurking in the shadows,” she teased as she embraced her friend.

“How long did you know?” He pulled away from their embrace to look at her with a curious look.

Levana rolled her eyes. “From the moment they plastered his face on every news channel in the world. It didn’t make any sense that the Winter Soldier would slip up and get caught on camera. But we stopped watching when… uh…” she glanced at Steve who was watching in confusion. “Uh, when the Captain over there pulled a helicopter down with his bare hands. Impressive by the way,” she grinned and ignored the butterflies in her stomach at the memory of watching that show of strength.

The tips of his ears turned pink at the comment but he ignored that for something else that was bothering him. “What do you mean watching? There weren’t any cameras on that roof.”

“My sister and I are enhanced, Inhumans as our kind like to be called,” Danica answered as she walked into the room. She looked at her twin curiously before shaking hands with both men. “I can see events happening in real time from anywhere in the world.”

“Cool,” Bucky nodded, impressed.

Steve turned his blue eyes to Levana, who’s stomach immediately erupted with more butterflies. “You have this gift as well?”

“Not exactly,” she muttered and averted her eyes, glad to play her nerves off as something other than being so close to him.

T’Challa noted his friend’s odd behavior and frowned slightly. She was never nervous, not even when she first started dating and had crushes, let alone talking about her powers. Then he noticed how her hand subtly rubbed her right hip.

Her soulmark. He fought a grin and set his hand on her shoulder.

“She’s a bit of an elementalist, if you will.”

At the confusion on their faces, Levana shook her head. “T’Challa, don’t confuse the poor men.” She looked at them with a small smile and a shrug of a shoulder. “I can control the elements of earth, wind, fire, and water.”

Bucky’s eyes brightened despite his continued stoic demeanor. “Awesome,” he nodded once, easily containing what Levana would call boyish excitement.

Steve tilted his head ever so slightly as he looked at her. “What would that entail?”

Levana stared at him blankly, her nervousness suddenly forgotten. “What do you think that would entail, Captain?”

He arched a brow at her as he crossed his arms over his chest. “It could mean that the element has to be present for you to control it, or you can create the element from nothing. So, can you simply control or can you create it as well?”

“Wind can’t really be created from nothing, Rogers, it’s just the air we breathe.”

Bucky snorted and continued to watch them, his eyes jumping from one to the other. T’Challa was still trying to fight a grin, thoroughly entertained with the lover’s spat, even if one of them didn’t realize they are soulmates. Danica rolled her eyes and nodded to Shuri as the teenager walked in, halting in her steps as she saw Steve’s stance and Levana now more relaxed as she leaned on her right foot with her hands on her hips.

Steve’s jaw twitched, but it wasn’t necessarily from annoyance. “That still leaves three more elements.”

The eldest twin stood silently, watching Steve as she debated whether or not to continue this banter or give up the information. A grin pulled at her full lips as her blue-green eyes twinkled. “I don’t even know you, Captain America, you’re a complete stranger. Why would I give you such sensitive information about my powers when we only just met?”

Another snort from Bucky was joined by one from T’Challa. Shuri laughed loudly as Danica covered her mouth from her own laugh and Okoye grinned.

Steve couldn’t stop the smile this time and nodded his head slightly, unfolding his arms and holding his hands up in surrender. “You’re completely right. I hope that we can get better acquainted while I’m here,” he smiled sweetly at her and she felt her knees go weak.

She remained standing despite her knees suddenly feeling wobbly and her stomach fluttering wildly. “We’ll see, Rogers, we’ll see,” she grinned before turning with a wave and walking from the room.

Okoye nodded to T’Challa and excused herself, following Levana.

The Inhuman had already walked out of sight, but it wasn’t hard for the General to catch up with her. “It is time for your training, dear Avatar,” she walked past the other woman, a grin pulling at her lips.

“Not you too, Okoye!” Levana frowned and hurried after her friend and mentor.

— — — 

The two slowly walked around each other, Okoye holding her spear and watching the Inhuman intently. Levana held no weapon. Ever since she had come into her powers, Okoye had insisted that she stop training with a weapon until she mastered her powers. For the first two weeks it had been difficult, unable to defend against Okoye’s skillful strikes.

Now she could hold her own against the Wakandan General without a weapon better than when she had used a spear.

As much as she hated to admit it, watching that show with Danica and Shuri had given Levana a few ideas. She planted herself and closed her eyes, focusing on the earth beneath her. A rustling met her ears and air passed her as she felt the end of Okoye’s spear connect with her right shoulder.

A grunt escaped her as the impact sent her to the ground. Determined to test out this theory, she didn’t open her eyes as she kicked her feet up and used the momentum to roll back on her shoulders until she was in a crouch, the movement a little awkward without sight. Slowly standing, Levana continued to focus on the earth. 

Unfortunately, all she got was silence. It was nothing like when she was laying on the ground and looking up at a starry night sky. Usually she could feel a comforting presence, almost like she was with a best friend you knew would always be there for you.

Okoye’s spear struck her again, swiping her feet from underneath her.

Levana cursed as she once again fell to the ground. She started to push herself up, fingers digging into the grass, ready to give up on this theory. A rush of encouragement filled her, the earth reaching out to her like a living entity to reassure her that it was still there for her. A grin pulled at her lips and she stood up, toeing her flats off so that she was standing barefoot, the grass soft under her feet.

Focusing on the ground again, Levana was successful in feeling a vibration from Okoye taking a step. It wasn’t like she was seeing in the traditional sense, it was more like how echolocation worked for bats, but more with movement than sound. She could almost feel the grass moving in the slightest of breezes and the image sprang forward in her mind. Okoye’s footsteps betrayed her position and Levana could feel her movement, could see her image in her mind’s eye with every step she took.

On her right.

The inhuman fell to a crouch and spun, swiping her leg out and smiling as she felt Okoye’s legs connect with her own, the Wakandan falling to the ground. She stood slowly and opened her eyes to look at the stunned woman.

“How?”

Levana shrugged with a smile. “I felt your movements on the ground,” she held out her hand to help her friend up.

This revelation brought a grin to Okoye’s lips as she stepped back and nodded to the other woman. “Well, let's continue your training, little Avatar. Don’t hold back, you must learn to control  _ all _ aspects of your powers.”

With a heavy sigh and a frown, Levana nodded and closed her eyes as she focused on the earth again. This time it was much easier to avoid Okoye’s attacks and she moved fluidly, her bare feet never leaving the ground. She spun on the ball of her right foot, moving far enough away to stop playing defense. With as much force as she could muster, Levana slammed her left foot into the ground and several chunks of ground shot up into the air, all varying in size but no bigger than a basketball. 

Okoye lowered herself into a crouch and readied her spear as Levana shot one chunk of earth after another at her. It was easy to strike them away when it was only one at a time, but the elemental grinned as she started sending up to four projectiles at a time. When one of them struck her shoulder, Okoye hissed in pain, her eyes narrowing in realization.

“Clever woman,” she shook her head and struck another chunk from the air but getting struck in the thigh with another.

Levana was pushing with small pockets of concentrated air, so not only was Okoye being struck with loosely packed dirt, but also a blast of air as well. 

Another moment went by with Okoye on the defensive, looking for the best way to go back on the offensive when Levana tensed ever so slightly.

Her left arm shot up to her side, palm faced outward. An arrow stopped a foot from her hand. She opened her eyes and looked towards the entrance of the facility, seeing her sister and Shuri leaning against a half wall, eyes wide, with T’Challa, Steve, and Bucky standing away from them. T’Challa was lowering a bow.

Just as fast as the arrow had hurtled towards her and stopped, it spun in the air and headed straight for T’Challa.

“Levana!” Okoye hissed, chastising the elemental but knowing there was no real threat to her new King. 

Ignoring the General, Levana turned to face their audience, her eyes filled with a fire that they could almost feel like a tangible thing. 

T’Challa caught the arrow easily before it would have hit him in the shoulder. Bucky and Steve both noticed where the arrow would have landed and both had impressed looks on their faces as they focused again on the elemental, both visibly tensing at the look in her eyes. 

“I swear to the Gods, if you two don’t stop with your experiments I’m going to give you both your own personal storm clouds for a week,“ she pointed at Shuri and Danica, her voice easily carrying to them. She glared daggers at her friend before turning back to Okoye. With a quick nod Okoye lowered into a squat with her spear pointed at Levana.

“If I were you, brother, my balls would have shriveled at that look,” Shuri shook her head.

T’Challa shook his head with a pained expression, Danica snorted in a barely contained laugh, Bucky grinned, and Steve seemed to choke on a breath of air.

Levana let the breeze fall, their voices falling short as she gave an amused snort of her own.

“What experiment were they conducting this time?” Okoye swung the staff down, aiming for Levana’s right shoulder.

Bringing her left hand up, the spear stopped mere inches from making contact, a grin pulling at her lips. “To see if I could control metal.”

Okoye grunted and rolled her eyes. “I do not understand why you keep all of this a secret from them, Levi,” she released one hand from the spear and spun to strike with her fist, the action catching her opponent off guard, striking her in the ribs. “Do it, show us all just how much control you have.”

Stumbling back and releasing her hold on the spear, Levana frowned. “I can’t,” she barely chanced a glance towards their audience, towards Steve who was watching intently with his hands crossed over his chest.

His broad chest that she imagined was both soft and hard.

Okoye swiped the spear under Levana’s legs, sending her to the ground. “Do it!”

Levana closed her eyes tightly, hands clenched into fists and she focused on the air around them, on the air leaving Okoye’s lungs. She opened her eyes and pushed herself up to a sitting position, eyes narrowed.

Okoye halted in her next attack, having been aiming to bring the butt end of the spear to Levana’s chest. She started gasping for breath, gripping the spear tightly at first before releasing it and falling to her knees.

The two never broke eye contact as Okoye slowly started to suffocate.

After another moment, Levana broke eye contact and released her hold on the air, Okoye taking in a deep breath, coughing as the air met her lungs.

“Are you okay?” Levana’s voice wavered as she reached for her friend.

The other woman nodded as she took a final deep breath without coughing. “You did good, my friend, your control has improved.”

The praise did not relieve Levana’s worry and shame. She helped the General stand with barely a glance at the five spectators. This aspect of her powers was horrifying and she hated that she could do it, but Okoye insisted on her training with them so that she had better control.

Most discoveries about Levana’s powers had been with Okoye during their sparring sessions. Ones like being able to prevent someone from breathing had been kept between them, Okoye insisting that she help the inhuman to gain control of her powers.

It left a bad taste in Levana’s mouth, but Okoye insisted that it didn’t change her view of the younger woman and it didn’t damage their friendship.

Okoye motioned to the others in front of the structure built into the mountain side, “It might be best if we joined them. I’m sure they have plenty of questions.”

Chancing a glance at the others from the corner of her eye, Levana barely contained a flinch. There was shock and horror on almost all of their faces. She shook her head as she turned away. “I’m going to get a shower, I need some time.”

Silence fell over them as Okoye studied the elemental. “You control your powers, not the other way around,” she reminded her with a soft voice. “We all will keep saying it until you understand. If any of us thought that you would do harm, T’Challa wouldn’t be respecting your wishes when it came to the Accords.” She knew the shame that Levana felt when it came to what she was capable of. There was only so much she could do to reassure the younger woman that she wasn’t as evil as she thought herself out to be.

“I…” she took a shaky breath. “I know, but it’s hard. I just… I need some time, please.”

Okoye leveled her with a flat look that she was barely able to return. “Fine,” she finally stated.

With a simple nod, Levana turned and walked towards the facility, her head down so she didn’t have to look at anyone.

“Levana,” T’Challa called after her as she walked past them all, turning to go after her.

“Don’t,” Okoye stopped her King and Levana hurried into the building, turning the corner so she was out of sight.

She stopped and listened intently to the conversation being held outside. It wasn’t right, she was almost torturing herself by listening in on them, but she couldn’t help it.

“Is she alright?” Steve, his voice was steady and held concern.

A sigh left Okoye. “Levana struggles with the destructive nature of her powers. She fears herself and the damage she can cause.”

“She wouldn’t use them like that,” Bucky spoke matter of factly and Levana felt her chin tremble. 

A man she had barely exchanged words with was already so sure she was a good person.

“That is true, but it is also true that she has the power and capability. It is why she is so against the Accords and registering enhanced individuals. She fears that someone will use her.”

Not wanting to hear any more, Levana continued to the residential floor to shower.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't mind me. Just sliding in at the end of the year with an update for you all. Inspiration has been lacking the past few months, so I apologize. But here's another installment for you all. Thank you for sticking with me and this story.

Steve and Bucky exchange a look as Okoye nods to the group and steps up to T’Challa, speaking softly.

The two of them understood Levana’s fear completely. Even with SHIELD gone, Hydra was still a viable threat. Even if it wasn’t Hydra, there was always some other villain that would want to use her for evil.

Steve looked towards the door. He had to reach out to her, help her, train her. The need to help the enhanced woman was stronger than he’d felt before and it puzzled him. 

“So, I hear this one has some evil programming,” Shuri steps up to the two super soldiers with a curious look. “We can remove it, but it will take time.”

Bucky’s brows drew together slightly. “How much time?”

Shuri shrugged her shoulders. “I cannot guarantee any time soon, maybe weeks or months.”

“I can’t risk hurting anyone here.”

T’Challa nodded to Okoye who stepped to the side as he moved to stand beside his sister. “We could place you in cryosleep until we can successfully remove Hydra’s programming.”

This time Steve frowned, but before he could say anything, Bucky was nodding. “I’ll do it.”

Danica walked over, putting her cellphone into her back pocket. “I just heard from the guys working on the quinjet. They’ve disabled the tracking and it’s ready to go, T’Challa.”

“Ready to go?” Steve turned his frown from Bucky to Danica. “Ready to go where?”

T’Challa looked at his newest ally with an arched brow and a small grin. “I assumed you would want to rescue your captured friends. After getting the whole story, I do not see why they should be locked up for a misunderstanding. After all, it wasn’t Barnes here that had caused the explosion, and all of you were just trying to capture the real criminal. Unfortunately, Wakanda must still keep up appearances so we cannot help with the rescue, nor can we keep you all here.”

Danica stood up a little straighter, her eyes an identical blue-green shade to Levana’s brightened, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Steve. “They can stay at our place. Levana and I don’t ever use it, too much space for just the two of us, it’s perfect!”

Her sudden excitement caused Okoye to give her a strange look for a moment while Shuri openly gave her a confused look.

“That’s true,” Shuri drawled as she frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. “I would need to go in and update the security on the island, but it can be done. She’s right though, brother, the island cannot be tied to Wakanda, it was from their birth parents.”

After a moment of silence, T’Challa nodded and looked to Danica. “Make sure to bring it up with Levana.”

A bright smile pulled at Danica’s lips, causing further suspicion to fill the two Wakandans while T’Challa’s brow lifted. “Oh, she won’t mind at all, but I’ll go let her know what’s happening!”

They all watched as she walked into the building, an obvious skip to her step.

Bucky motioned after her with an arched brow. “I take it that’s not typical behavior for her.”

Shuri shook her head with her eyes narrowed. “No, not at all.”

T’Challa shook his head and motioned towards the door. ”The lab isn’t ready, but we can head to the facility where it’s located and we can have dinner.” Shuri started walking first, Bucky following and then T’Challa and Steve with Okoye taking up the rear. 

“I have a favor to ask,” Steve spoke, glancing to the future King of Wakanda. “I was hoping to get my hands on a couple of burner phones and send one to Tony, with a note.”

T’Challa looked over at the super soldier, looking at the man’s profile as they walked. Looking straight ahead again, he nodded. “I will get everything you need. He will be mad now, but he will forgive you.”

Steve gave a curt nod and they fell into silence as they continued walking through the facility. 

— — — 

“I’m going with you to the Raft,” Levana’s stern voice would have startled Steve, but he had heard her light footsteps as she approached. He almost smiled at the sound of her voice, finding that it was pleasant and he rather enjoyed listening to her speak.

He handed T’Challa the letter he had just finished writing to Tony. “Out of the question, it’s too dangerous.”

The woman scoffed and rolled her eyes. He turned to look at her and watched as she brought her hands to her hips and gave him a droll look. “There’s going to be five guards max there, besides, how are you expecting to get them to raise it from the ocean? Oh, wait, you probably thought you could dive down and rip open the door,” she once again rolled her eyes.

T’Challa coughed, clearly hiding a laugh, and Steve fought back his own smile. 

Levana shook her head, her hair shining in the light as it swished side to side lightly with the movement. He noticed that it was much curlier than it had been when she had left them almost an hour and a half ago. There was also the faint scent of vanilla and something minty that barely tickled his nose.

“You need my powers to get that prison above water.”

T’Challa cleared his throat and motioned towards the door. “I’m going to get this sent off, I’ll meet you both in the kitchen shortly.”

Steve nodded after T’Challa before turning his eyes to look at Levana again. He couldn’t deny that she had a point, he did need her powers. There was no other way he could safely get into the Raft and get his friends out. “Fine, but you’re staying on the quinjet. I don’t doubt your capabilities, but until I can accurately assess your abilities and level of training, I won’t risk you getting hurt.”

Levana rolled her eyes, but otherwise nodded. “I can agree to that. But now we have to spar once we get to the island so you can ‘assess my abilities’ for yourself. Though, I would have imagined watching Okoye and my training would have been sufficient enough.”

Her sass brought a grin to Steve’s face. Something about her attitude was almost refreshing, even though he was used to this kind of attitude from any of his friends. It somehow felt...different.

He watched her eyes flick down to his right hip before darting back up to his own eyes. It was then that he noticed he had unconsciously started rubbing at his soul mark. It had warmed substantially when he and Bucky had followed T’Challa into Wakanda, telling him that his soulmate was here somewhere. He lowered his hand and shrugged a shoulder, “That sounds acceptable.”

She hesitated before standing a little straighter and nodded. “Good, now, I think we should get going. I’m sure Bucky won’t hurt anyone, but he’s never been with anyone like Shuri and Danica. Those two together can be...” she paused as she tried to find the right word. With a shake of her head she shrugged. “Well, they’re a pain in the ass to be honest.”

A grin pulled at Steve’s lips as he followed her out of the room. “Bucky can be quite the pain in the ass himself.”

“Oh Steve, you underestimate just how annoying those two can be. Danica may be my twin, but Shuri brings out her inner sassy teenager and it’s like high school all over again.”

“I know it’s impolite to ask,” Steve started, voice hesitant.

Levana looked up at him with a smirk. “Then don’t ask.”

The teasing tone in her voice had Steve giving her an exasperated look. “How old are you?”

She gave out a mock gasp, hand over her chest. “My goodness, Steve Rogers! I would have thought being raised in the 30s you’d know not to ask a woman her age!”

This caused him to roll his eyes. Levana laughed and lightly smacked him in the arm. “I don’t care, big guy.”

“I know.”

“We just turned 29 in February.”

— — — 

While Steve spoke with Bucky in the cryolab, Levana stood in the hall on her phone. She was typing away furiously, working with Danica who was on her way to the island with Shuri to get the house stocked with supplies. As her phone buzzed in her hand with another message, she paused to pull it up, reading the message as Steve walked out of the room.

She looked up at him to see his face set in exhaustion and sadness. He once again had to say goodbye to his friend for an undisclosed amount of time.

“He’s not going to be asleep forever, Steve. Shuri and her team are amazing at what they do, they’ll get the programming out of his head in no time.”

With a small smile and a nod, Steve thanked her. “So, where’s T’Challa?”

Levana held up her phone for a moment before putting it in her pocket. “He just told me he’s upstairs, I’ll take you to him before we head out.”

With another nod, Steve followed Levana down the hall to the elevator. They went up one floor and he almost joked about the fact that they could have taken the stairs, but as soon as the elevator doors opened, the view out the window across from them stopped the words from forming.

Seeing the look on his face made Levana smile as they stepped off the elevator. She hung back, sitting down on the cushioned bench along the wall. Even though she spent nearly half her life here, she had to admit that the views still amazed her. This one in particular was one of her favorites. The trees hiding the lab in the mountainside and a massive black panther statue in front. The current layer of mist that settled caused the scene to look mysterious and magical.

T’Challa had yet to arrive so Steve stood at the floor to ceiling windows and stared out at the view before him.

With Levana on the opposite end of the room, the two remained silent as they waited for T’Challa to arrive. They weren’t kept waiting long.

Exiting the elevator, T’Challa silently made his way to Steve, nodding to Levana in a quick greeting as he passed her.

“Thank you for this.” Steve glanced at the Wakandan Prince.

“Your friend and my father, they were both victims. If I can help one of them find peace…”

“You know if they find out he’s here, they’ll come for him,” He looked at him with a slightly concerned look.

“Let them try,” a grin pulled at his lips as they looked out the window to the forest beyond, to the black panther statue standing guard.

Levana was suddenly standing between the two of them, both men tensing in surprise. “Steve, we should get going if we want to rescue your friends. T’Challa, the ceremony in a week?”

The Prince looked to his friend with a curious look. “You do not have to attend, Levana,” his eyes barely looked to Steve who was still looking out the window, pretending not to listen.

Her cheeks warmed and she shook her head. “I will help them settle and I’ll come back for the ceremony. I’m not going to miss challenge day,” the grin on her lips suddenly worried T’Challa.

“Is someone going to challenge?”

With a knowing grin and a shrug of her shoulders, Levana moved up on the tips of her toes to kiss his cheek before all but prancing away, her hands clasped behind her back.

“Don’t pull Nakia out of her mission until the day before, T’Challa. You know how important it is to her,” she called out before walking out of the room.

T’Challa shook his head and nodded in her direction. “Good luck, Captain, you’re going to need it,” the laughter was barely contained as he nodded a farewell to the super soldier.

Steve shook his head as he followed after the elemental.

Boarding the quinjet and taking off was a silent affair. Steve was able to fly the quinjet without any help, so Levana sat in the copilot seat, picking at her nails nervously.

There was something she hadn’t taken into account when she decided to help Steve rescue his friends and comrades; they would be alone with no one around for hundreds, if not thousands of miles. He would notice that his mark was still warm. He would realize they were soulmates.

It should be a moment of joy for her, but she still doubted herself and being worthy of being Captain America’s soulmate. But it was something that would come up, and she just wasn’t ready to talk about it.

“If you’re having second thoughts, it’s okay,” his voice broke her from her thoughts and she shook her head and clasped her hands together before placing them in her lap. 

“No second thoughts, just first time jitters. I’m good, I swear it, Captain,” she looked out at the dark sky ahead of them, focusing on her breathing and trying not to let her racing heart beat out of her chest.

It was said innocently enough, same as every time she had used his title, but something about the way she said it excited Steve. Contrary to popular belief, Captain America isn’t innocent. Unfortunately, with everything after Ultron he hadn’t really had much time for intimacy. It made him almost hyper aware of how attractive Levana is, and when she called him Captain it made his cock twitch in excitement.

But she had a soulmate.

So did he.

His eyebrows drew together as he noticed the warmth of his mark despite being so far from Wakanda. They were over the ocean with no land to be seen.

His eyes widened and his heart all but skipped a beat as realization dawned on him. All of the looks he’d barely caught between her and T’Challa, the way she looked at him when she thought he wasn’t looking, even her behavior now, how she was nervous and tense.

She knew and she hadn’t said anything.

Even though he could put the quinjet on autopilot and turn to look at her, Steve continued to grip the controls and keep his eyes straight ahead. “Levana, why didn’t…?” 

“I’m not going to lie and say there wasn’t a good time. I just…” she frowned and closed her eyes, tightening her hands until she felt a mild pain in her fingers. “Being able to control the elements is amazing, but it wreaks havoc on my mind. It’s like having four completely different personalities clashing, and if that wasn’t enough, having the knowledge that with a flick of my wrist I could level an entire city...it’s a lot.”

Steve hesitated before hitting a few controls to turn on the autopilot and turning to look at her. His soulmate, just an arms length away.

“Did you think I wouldn’t want you for that?” He watched her tense up even more but she shook her head.

“No, not that you wouldn’t want me. More that I am one step away from being the person you have to take out,” her voice came out almost strangled.

Shock kept Steve glued to his seat as he stared at her with wide eyes. Did she not think she deserved to be with him? Did she think it was a mistake that they are soulmates?

Shaking his head, he slowly reached out and covered her clasped hands on her lap with his. It took her a moment but she turned her eyes to look at him and the fear within them had his heart clenching. “Levana, I won’t ever let that happen. If it’s control you’re worried about, we can work on that.”

She shook her head. “I can control my powers just fine, Steve. It’s…” her brows drew together as she turned her eyes back to the sky ahead of them, trying to find the best way to explain her fear. Yes, he knew she was afraid of someone being able to control her through the people she loved, but it was more than just that. “I told you it’s like having four different personalities. Water is calm and fluid, able to adapt to the situation and act rationally. Air is joyful and absolutely carefree but a force to be reckoned with. Earth is absolutely stubborn, and as immovable in it’s decisions as you would imagine.” Levana closed her eyes and Steve felt her hands clench a little tighter under his hand.

There was no need for her to explain about fire, but his thumb rubbed against her knuckles softly as he encouraged her to continue. “And fire?”

A heavy sigh escaped her. “Fire is spontaneous and irrational, quick to anger and all consuming. It is the most unstable of the four.”

Lifting his other hand, Steve brought his index finger under her chin and gently turned her head to look at him. “It’s also passionate, in every sense of the word. You’re not just the fire, Levana. You’re also water, fire’s opposite. Just like you are air and earth, which balance each other. I think of all the extraordinary people I’ve met, you might be the most extraordinary.”

A small scoff left her. “You’re just saying that because we’re soulmates.”

The quinjet beeped and started to slow, notifying them that they were approaching their destination. Steve removed first his hand from her chin. “No, I’m saying that because you have to be the most powerful person I know. You have power over the four elements, Levana, the most powerful things known to us. They aren’t warring with each other inside you, but balanced. You haven’t gone mad with power and tried to take over the world, rather, I’m sure you would do everything you could to protect it.” He pulled his other hand from atop hers and turned in his seat once more to face forward, pulling the quinjet out of autopilot and hovering over their destination, the ocean raging below them.

Levana couldn’t pull her eyes away from the man next to her. It shouldn’t surprise her that this man, her soulmate, said the exact thing that would snap her out of her depressed funk. Though, she had a feeling it wasn’t just the fact that he’s her soulmate. No, that was just who Steve Rogers is, an inspiring, honest, and wholesome man.

“So, you gonna show me those powers of yours?” Steve’s voice pulled her from her thoughts and she couldn’t help the grin that formed.

She reached out with her mind, feeling the metal facility beneath the waves. Deep beneath the waves. Being able to control metal was something that was still new to her, she had only practiced with small amounts of metal. Nothing on this scale. But she had to try, Steve was counting on her. His friends were counting on her, even if they didn’t know it.

Letting out a breath, Levana pulled on the metal beneath the water.

Nothing happened.

Her hands reached out, palms down as the quinjet was directly above The Raft now.

Steve watched her as she concentrated, her eyes closing moments after holding her hands out in front of her. Several breaths passed before he saw her hands begin to tremble.

“Levana,” he started. He could almost hear her shush him, though her lips never parted.

His eyes were pulled from her as the ocean waves below caught his attention. The once calm ocean was now swirling below them. He leaned forward to look directly below them and saw that the water was moving away from The Raft and swooping down underneath it, pushing it up. He watched in amazement as the underwater prison made its way slowly higher.

This was his moment. Levana was giving him an opportunity to land without pulling the prison up completely, giving him more time before reinforcements arrived.

He lowered the quinjet to land and stood, softly resting his hand on Levana’s shoulder softly. “I’ll be fast.”

She didn’t respond, still concentrating on the ocean around them.

His voice echoed in her mind and she slowly stood as he left the quinjet. A pounding in her head caused her to flinch.

It was too much.

Pulling the metal facility up and controlling so much water.

It was too much for her.

But if she let go, they would be in trouble. With an exhale she released her hold on The Raft and the pounding became a dull ache as she opened her eyes. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight and magnitude of what she was doing. After releasing the metal, her concentration could move solely to the water and while it was still swirling and rushing underneath the facility, it did so in a more chaotic beauty.

Levana slowly moved to stand at the back of the quinjet, taking a few steps down the ramp to get a better view. Once more reaching out with her mind, she felt her connection with the water and worked to calm it. Slowly, the water calmed and began to swirl around The Raft like a whirlpool.

The air current picked up and she looked up at the clear sky above her, her hair gently whipping around her.

The dull ache in her mind was growing and she closed her eyes as sweat began to bead on her forehead.

“Holy shit,” an awed voice broke through Levana’s concentration and she fell to a knee.

“Levana!” Steve rushed forward but she couldn’t open her eyes, struggling to keep control of the waves.

“Is she doing this?” A man asked as Steve knelt in front of her, his hands resting on her shoulders.

“Levana, what’s wrong?” His voice was low and concerned.

With a shaky breath and her body trembling, she shook her head. “Too much…”

Steve looked back at his companions. “Everyone on the quinjet. Clint, take the controls.”

“Got it, Cap.”

Steve helped Levana to stand and lead her to a seat as everyone piled in. “Can’t...keep it back…”

The strain in her voice had Steve frowning. “Then don’t hold back so much, we’re all on the quinjet.”

Levana barely nodded as she gripped his arm. “Help me stand.”

“You should be sitting,” he frowned.

“I said...Help. Me. Stand.” Her eyes opened to shoot him a fiery look. With a heavy sigh, Steve helped her stand up and she took a step to the middle of the quinjet with his help. Holding her hands out to her sides and with the eyes of three people on her, Levana let out a heavy breath.

As that breath was released, the ocean crashed around them.

“Steve!” Clint’s worried voice as he got the quinjet off of The Raft echoed in the craft.

But the water didn’t submerge them. Instead it was held back by a swirling pocket of air.

“Clint, get us out of here as quickly as possible.”

The man at the controls nodded and Levana’s knees started to buckle.

Steve quickly wrapped his arm around her waist and he looked down at her pale face. “Shit,” he cursed and reached up with his other hand to wipe the blood that was trailing from her nose. “Sam, first aid hit.”

Levana’s eyes drifted shut as the quinjet left the ocean and rose higher in the sky. She collapsed into Steve, passing out as soon as she relinquished control over the air.

Wanda jumped up to help as Steve carried Levana’s limp form to the side of the quinjet, laying her down across the seats. 

“She is enhanced?” Wanda lowered herself by Levana’s knees as Steve took the first aid kit from Sam.

“Yes, but not in the way we might think. From what her sister told me, they have alien DNA that caused them to go through a metamorphosis and their powers developed. She said they’re called Inhumans.” He took some gauze and wiped at the blood that was slowly moving down Levana’s face. When he wiped below her nose he held the gauze there gently for a moment.

“Inhumans? Are there more of them?” Scott leaned forward in his seat on the other side of the quinjet.

Steve nodded and lifted the gauze, relieved to see that her nose isn't bleeding anymore. He visibly relaxed as he sat completely, leaning into the edge of the seat. “They’ve been looking into what happened to them, apparently it’s happening to people all over the world. They don’t know why it suddenly started happening, but Danica is looking into it.”

“Is Danica the sister?” Sam closed up the first aid hit and stashed it above before going and sitting next to Scott.

Steve nodded and turned until his back was facing Levana, looking at his friends. “Twins. They’re gonna put us up for a while.”

“Where would that be exactly, Cap? I’m flying a little blind here.” Clint looked back at him.

With a nod and a sigh, Steve stood and walked over to his friend. “Right, Danica didn’t want the coordinates saved in the quinjet so she wrote them down. It’s the one safe place we have, so we can’t have them saved just in case the quinjet gets taken.” He fished a slip of paper from his jacket pocket and handed it over.

Clint took the paper and glanced at the coordinates, memorizing them before returning the slip of paper. “You make friends quick, Steve. Where’d you find them?”

Steve returned to his spot on the ground by Levana’s head. “Wakanda.”


End file.
